


A Number of Quiet Attentions

by Amika (Aeiouna)



Series: 2020 Omegaverse Monthly Challenge [3]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Courting Rituals, Kemonomimi, M/M, The 2020 Omegaverse Monthly Challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-04
Updated: 2020-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:40:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23017915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aeiouna/pseuds/Amika
Relationships: Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Series: 2020 Omegaverse Monthly Challenge [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1610326
Kudos: 7
Collections: The 2020 Omegaverse Monthly Challenge





	A Number of Quiet Attentions

Brady's ears twitched and he turned to Grant. "It feels like courting him would be useless, but I know it has to be done."

Grant tilted his head. "Brady what are you talking about? In what universe would you courting your chosen mate be useless? Most alphas don't choose a mate that they don't think they have a chance with, which is the only situation where I could see you being worried that courting your mate would be useless."

Brady chuckled. "Nah, man. It's actually the opposite. I know him so well and am close enough to him that if I simply asked him to be my mate he'd say yes."

Grant looked up. "Damon."

Brady nodded. "Yeah, Damon. There's no one else I'd want to spend the rest of my life and have pups with. The thought makes me almost sad to think about."

"Well," Grant took a sip of his drink and pointed the bottle in Brady's direction, "Since you know Damon so well, courting him should be easy, shouldn't it? You know what he likes, and what would get him to, for lack of a better term, submit." Neither alpha liked using the term _submit_ when referring to a mate because that seemed so archaic, but it was the officially accepted term for when an omega or beta agreed to mate with the alpha that had been courting them.

Brady pushed his pasta around on his plate, his other hand propping up his head. "Yeah, but it seems like such a _waste_ , you know? Why go through this whole process when I can just go up to him and ask?"

Grant shook his head. "You are overthinking it. Just give him things he likes and all that good stuff."

* * *

It started innocently enough. His favorite coffee at his desk, a coupon for lunch from his favorite restaurant, that CD he'd been eyeing for about a month but could never pull the trigger on and buy. At first, Damon didn't think anything of it, but he quickly realized they all smelled of alpha.

He was being courted.

He didn't know if he was ready for this, to be honest. He'd been putting off finding a mate because he knew no matter who had chosen to court him, he would probably reject them.

He only had eyes for one.

He'd been turning down alphas for not being _his_ chosen one since high school, since he first presented as an omega. Courting gifts or not, he'd be able to turn this one down as well.

Even though the alpha, whoever he was, did know him better than anyone else that had tried to get with him before.

Could it be?

Nah, there was no way. Damon refused to let his mind wander in that direction. He rotated the CD in his hands and hoped for a note, something, to confirm or deny his suspicions, but nothing.

The scent wasn't going to help him. An alpha's courting scent was vastly different than any other scent he could give off. Damon would never be able to tell by that alone, no matter who it was.

He eyed every alpha he knew warily as he passed them: his coworkers in the break room, his spotter at the gym, his favorite barista at his favorite coffee shop.

It had to be the barista. Obviously, he knew Damon's favorite coffee. Damon had mentioned how much he loved the Italian place a block away one morning, and that was the place the coupon was from. Every time the lead single from the CD he'd gotten played from the overhead speakers, Damon would mention how badly he wanted the CD.

And then the barista mentioned one morning how his mate just told him he was pregnant, and he couldn't wait for the pup to come.

Oh.

Well that answered that.

And still the gifts kept coming.

Trinkets for his desk of his favorite TV show, his favorite flowers, the watch he's wanted for about a year.

Whoever this was _really_ knew Damon inside and out.

Maybe he should give this guy a chance, if he's willing to learn all of Damon's quirks and likes and use them to his advantage in his courting.

He needed to figure out who it was.

* * *

He came in early one morning, hoping to catch the courting alpha in the act, and his ears twitched when he realized he had done so.

That longish white hair, the broad shoulders, the jacket Damon remembers buying specifically for that individual. _Really?_ Damon cleared his throat a little.

A jolt, and the person at his desk turned around. "Damon, you're early."

"Brady," Damon started, leaning in the doorway of his office, "what are you doing here?"

Brady stammered a bit, "I, well, you see."

"All the new shit is from this alpha, he's trying to court me. I still don't know if I want to turn the poor guy down like I have everyone else," Damon ran a hand through his hair.

"I know who they're from," Brady took a deep breath, "Because I put them there. Please don't turn me down, I've loved you since we were twelve."

Damon felt his mouth go dry. This didn't feel real. Brady was the one? Brady was courting him? Brady loved him and wanted to mate with him? "You have? I've turned all other alphas down because they weren't you, but why would you want someone like me, you know?"

Brady's answer was a simple, "Why wouldn't I?" that caused Damon to look down at his shoes in order to hide his face. Brady didn't need to know he was crying.

Brady stepped forward into Damon's space. "So, you down? You and me?"

Damon looked up and buried his face in Brady's chest, getting comfortable in his awaiting arms. "Of course I'm down. You and me. Forever."


End file.
